BMW 330d front wheel bearing on way out?

BMW 330d front wheel bearing on way out?

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Welshbeef

Original Poster:

49,633 posts

200 months

Saturday 14th May 2011
quotequote all
Hi looking for some help here

firstly I know that the inside edge of both front tyres are low and I'm due to get some new ones soon. I'm guessing it's the tracking or wheel alignment? Rears are fine

Anyway the problem I have which has got worse and worse is a noise which exists up to c25mph it's certainly from the front and it's a chunchubchubchub sort of noise cannot think of a better way to describe it. It makes no difference what angle the steering is either.

So could this be down to the tracking or would I be right in assuming wheel bearings. I've not been in a car with worn wheel baring for a long time so am rusty to the noise.

Finally IF it is wheel bearings I'd change both sides but what should I expect in cost E90 3 series

Other thing to nite I'm just about to hit 80k miles and they have not been changed previously.


I'm hoping it's tracking not too costly but have this nasty gut feel my pants are about to be taken down with the additional cost of wheel bearings.

Thals fellow PHers

jjones

4,428 posts

195 months

Saturday 14th May 2011
quotequote all
sounds like bearing noise, often you can make it louder / quieter by turning left/right at low speed (20 ish). i would think the tyre wear was due to tracking.

MattOz

3,916 posts

266 months

Saturday 14th May 2011
quotequote all
Mine did exactly what you're describing when the tyres were worn. Sounded just like a wheel bearing going. New tyres and a track later the noise had gone. Suggest sorting the tyres first and then seeing if the noise is still present.

DJFish

5,933 posts

265 months

Saturday 14th May 2011
quotequote all
E46s suffer from sticking calipers which then warp the disc, would it be worth checking this before you shell out on a new bearing?

Welshbeef

Original Poster:

49,633 posts

200 months

Saturday 14th May 2011
quotequote all
MattOz said:
Mine did exactly what you're describing when the tyres were worn. Sounded just like a wheel bearing going. New tyres and a track later the noise had gone. Suggest sorting the tyres first and then seeing if the noise is still present.
good to hear.
I'll head off down today to get tracking sorted first. Got a few more miles left in the tyres - plus costco have a huge Michelin sale at certain times of the year so I'll change them then.

My commute does involve far too many speed bumps and poor road surfaces so I can see how the tracking has been knocked out by myself and previous owner.

I wonder how long the wheel bearings last on these it's a big lump over the front wheels.

soda

1,131 posts

163 months

Saturday 14th May 2011
quotequote all
Welshbeef said:
I wonder how long the wheel bearings last on these it's a big lump over the front wheels.
How long is a bit of string wink

Not sure on expected life expectancy, FWIW mines still original at 110k.

Welshbeef

Original Poster:

49,633 posts

200 months

Tuesday 14th June 2011
quotequote all
MattOz said:
Mine did exactly what you're describing when the tyres were worn. Sounded just like a wheel bearing going. New tyres and a track later the noise had gone. Suggest sorting the tyres first and then seeing if the noise is still present.
Update on this - it turns out it is a cracked alloy....inside rim. Repaired it but not sure if it will last that long....glup new alloy needed.

For you piece of mind I'd check your wheel for the same problem (google it too BMW 17/18/19 inch alloy cracking) - wih new tyres on mine it is now silent but I know its a problem that will need replacing at some point in the future.

Not happy at all. I ruined a tyre & alloy on another car proviously so since then Im super mindful of avoiding and cannot recall hitting any pothole since buying the car. It passed two MOT's so cannot of had the cracked alloy to get through.

Note tyre changed at costco so zero vested interest - they showed me the alloy with rubber off and also the tyre with its bizarre inner edge wear.

E30M3SE

8,469 posts

198 months

Tuesday 14th June 2011
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^^^^^That will be a E90 on runflats....................

Dino D

1,953 posts

223 months

Tuesday 14th June 2011
quotequote all
Wasn't this issue on Watchdog and wasn't there a recall or free replacement by BMW?

Welshbeef

Original Poster:

49,633 posts

200 months

Tuesday 14th June 2011
quotequote all
Dino D said:
Wasn't this issue on Watchdog and wasn't there a recall or free replacement by BMW?
Id like to hear more about this - new OEM alloy due to poor quality from BMW